Leeds United fans have reacted with bemusement and disappointment at suggestions the club would not be able to finance a January move for out-of-favour Derby County striker Chris Martin.

Derby are happy to allow Martin out on loan this month as the Championship promotion contenders try to finalise their own deal for Norwich City striker Cameron Jerome.

Martin is understood to be on around £30,000 a week at Derby but has become a fringe player at the iPro Stadium due to the outstanding form of Matej Vydra, with David Nugent and Sam Winnall both also ahead of Martin in the Rams pecking order.

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Gary Rowett is prepared to let the 29-year-old leave according to Sky Sports but there is a reluctance to allow him to move to a direct promotion rival, which could scupper both Leeds and fellow suitors Cardiff City's chances of a deal.

Wolves, Reading, Sunderland and Fulham - where he spent time on loan before signing a new three-and-a-half-year contract at Derby a year ago - have also been linked with Martin.

His new deal runs to the summer of 2020 but he is expected to head out this month if anyone will help subsidise his wages - which Fulham paid the entirety of during his loan spell at Craven Cottage.

Chris Martin has been linked with a loan move to Leeds United (Image: Getty Images)

Last week Rowett confirmed there had been interest in Martin by saying: "Clubs have asked about him - but I have had no firm offer for him.

"Chris, over the previous three seasons had scored more goals in the Championship than anyone else, or something close to that. We are talking about a quality player, we know he is a very, very good player and he is going to be sought after by a lot of teams, I would imagine.

"The reality with Chris is he hasn't started a lot of games this season but he has had an impact for us coming off the bench. When he has started, he has done quite well.

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"I am sure if you asked Chris, he wants to play football, he wants to play more regularly. He knows he has the ability to affect Championship teams but the reality is Nugent, Vydra and Winnall have scored more goals and been in good form."

Leeds want a striker in January but are determined to not be held to ransom over prices, which is influencing their decision to resist bidding for Preston North End's £8m-rated striker Jordan Hugill.

It has been suggested that Martin's lofty wages could prove prohibitive to a deal for Leeds as it would bring him in line with players such as Samuel Saiz, Pablo Hernandez and Pontus Jansson as one of the club's top earners if they were made to pay his demands in full - something the clubs are not looking to do.

But fans have not been impressed with the idea that Leeds cannot afford to take a outcast from a club they are competing with due to the finances of a deal.